Effect of antimony doping in mechanochemically synthesized Cu2ZnSnSe4.

In this paper, the role of antimony (Sb) as a dopant in single-phase bulk Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ (CZTSe) has been studied. The sb-doped CZTSe bulk material has been synthesized via facile mechanical dry ball milling method. The structural characterization and phase formation were studied through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Particle size and electron diffraction measurements were done using high resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction. Field emission scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses have been done to infer morphology and composition. Oxidation state of constituent elements in milled powder was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The results of XRD and Raman results are suggestive that the dry milling is a reliable method for the synthesis of single-phase CZTSe. It is also possible to achieve doping with low concentrations of Sb during the milling process to obtain sb-doped bulk single-phase CZTSe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]